Ruler.



PATENTED MAR. 5, 1907. M. LIBRYsoN. RULER.

APPLICATION FILEDDBO. 29, 1905.

` the paper.

' MILTON DEE` BEYsoN, OF Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

RULER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 5, 1-907.

Application filed December 29,1905. Serial No. 293.772.

To (LZZ whom it may concern:`

Be it known that I, MILTON DEE BRYsoN, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the countyof Los Angeles and, State of California, have invented new and .useful Improvements in Rulers, of which th'e following is a specification. l

My invention has relation to new and use- `fi ful Improvements in transparent rulers.

My ruler is provided with such improvements as facilitates both speed and accuracy 1n drawing verticalv parallels, in drawing all angles, in measuring fractions of space, &c. 1t is durable, presents a nice appearance, 1s convenient to use, and is susceptible of a great number and variety of uses.

The principal features of this ruler arise from the fact that it is practically transparent. Itis made of a transparent strip about two inches wide or it may be of a greater or less Width and from one-twentieth-to onefourth of an inch in thickness,^depending on the length of the ruler.. The @length of the ruler may be from four to twenty inches, according as the demand shall require and as shall prove most convenient in nse. This transparency enables a person using the ruler to see the paper immediately under the ruler and to know the relative position ofthe line.

about to be drawn. With the ordinary opaque ruler the lines under the ruler would be hidden from View. Therefore with such a ruler it would-be impossible kto get the relative position of lines, as before stated. All lines, scales, and marks of whatsoever character are drawn on the under side of this ruler. This enables the user to obtain absolute accuracy, because the marks, scales,

te., being on the under side,are therefore in direct contact with the paper and the lines ony It thus becomesan easy matter;

to accurately get an angle or draw another parallel line with the one already drawn by -simply placing line uponline and drawing a single line along the edge ofthe ruler. i

Another important feature arises from the fact that the transparency of this ruler enables its construction to afford the universal angle-scale. lines radiating from a common point. ee Fig. 1, numeral 20.) Said numeral'20 is on the under side of the ruler and at the center of the length thereof.

4 The first line, numeral 29A, diverges from 'the edge of the ruler .at an angle of five de- This scale consists ofy strai ht" laid on the book so as to cover one grecs, the second line 29B ten degrees, the third 29c and thus on u grees, each of) at an angle of at fifteen degrees,

the radiating lines being iive degrees apart. To illustrate, let us suppose a person using this ruler wishes to draw an angle of five degrees. To do this, he lays the ve-degree-angle line 29A so that it will eX- actly cover the base-line on his paper. The" paper can be plainly seen through the transparent body -of the ruler. A line then drawn along the edge of the ruler will make a'fivedegree angle with the base-line. In the same way the forty-ve-degree-angle line 38 ofthe ruler laid to cover the base-llnefon the paper will make by drawing a line along the base of the ruler (indicated by numeral 21) an angle of forty-five degrees with the baseline. Likewise any given angle may be drawn bythe use of this ruler at a single stroke, whereas an architect using any implement except this ruler must by the old method hunt through his instrument-box for -a particular triangle cut for that angle, or he must by the use of dividers and a straightedge make by computation the desiredangle, or by the use of the semicircle, scale, or. protractor he may point off the correct angle, then lay down his protractor, pick up his straight-edge, draw a ine from the point he has made to the correct angle to the point at the middle of the base-line .of the protractor. Notone of these processes except to one hundred and eighty dethis ruler enables the drawer to get any angle at a single stroke of the pencil. It will therefore be seen ata glance that this ruler takes the lace of all instruments in the architects out t of tools except those tools used fol drawing and establishing curved lines. Consequently th'e convenience and time saved by theJ use of this ruler is ap arent.

Bookkeepers frequently 'nd it necessary to. rule ofl" a page of their book in vertical columns of e ual or given width. They may by the use o this ruler draw such linesrap-l i ly yet accurately, due to the fact that each inch of the ruler is marked b a line crossing the width of the ruler` at rig, t angles to thel edge thereof. When one of these lines is of the horizontal lines on the page, then the ed e of the ruler is exactl at ri ht angles to tle horizontal rulin of t e lhooi )wing to the fact that the Wi th of the ruler is divided by horizontal lines one-eighth of an, inch apart,

IIO

I book in columns of any widtii (see numerals'l, 2, 3,14, 5, 6,

7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15,) the user ma heads of the tacksbbeing about one-eighth of lay close to the paper, "E an-advantage in cases an inch ta-ll. The purpose of said projections or said tacks is to raise the edge of 'the ruler when it is laid up er side down. Thus a line may be drawn with a common writingpen without smearin the paper.

This ruler is flexib e to a great degree. It may be even bent end to end without injury. A hookkeeper needs a ruler which will conform to the uneven surface of a spread-open hook on which he is working. The stiff wooden ruler does not conform to the uneven surfaces of an open led er. The average bookkeeper usin the or inary writingpen to rule his book finds it almost impossible to draw a satisfactory line with it. Therefore the flexibility of this ruler is ofgreat advantage, inasmuch as it allows the ruler to t This is particularly where the edge of the ruler is used as a marker to guide the eye along a line of figures.

- hookkeepers at that time.

l ruler. keep er columns' which 44', into fourths, and so on up The small along the edge of the ruler to mark columnsl of, figures .for a bookkeeper. lndicate the clamps or markers and Fi s. 1 and 2 show the clamps B in position on t e This is a great advantage to a'bookwhen he is entering figures in his hook where the columns are not adjacent. Many enter figures in columns of varying widths apart and several in number, and between these columns are other are to be' filled in subsequently. I-Ie finds it convenient to cut out a s tripof 'paper and lay the strip across the page as a marker, marking with red ink on it the columns of ligures he wishes to be entered The use of this ruler takes the place of such home-made devices fully and in a Superior manner. These clamp markers may be placed on eitherthe upper or lower edge ofthe ruler, or they may betaken ofi' alto ether when not needed.

n T e lower ed e of the ruler is divided into meh-scales, an each inch-scale is again divided into different scales. In Fig. 1, between lines 15 and 21, are shown these fract1onal divisions of an inchf' The inch indicated by 1 is undivided; the inchindicated by 2 is divided into halves; 3', into thirds;

to and including the inch indicated by 12,. Each inch is in some cases, extending' 'markers or clamps B are slid.

F' ures 3 and 4.

.fact that ink stains may ltwo inches indicate The use and purpose of this hole is for hang- These bevels are a useful addition as divided into the fractional parts of indicated' by the number ony that particular inch. Thus the ruler has, ready or use, va greatv many different divisions of an inch.

.The upper ed e of this ruler, as shown in Fig. 1, between ines 25 and 1. and 1 and 2 is divided into half, quarter, and eighth inches, exactly as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

The scales, marks, and lines on this ru er being on the under face and sunk into the substance with a die, then inked and covered over with a flexible transparent film 15P, are

thus made durable and will not wear out, de-

ruler, if dusty or soiled with ink, may be readily washed or cleaned without injury. The be washed ofi` gives it an advantage over the ordinary ruler of wood, into which Vtheink never be removed; l

This ruler has longitudinal lines running parallel from one end to the other. v he figures on theseflines indicate the distance from' the upper edge of the ruler that each line is. Each ofJ these lines is one-eighth of an inch apart. Theirl use and advantage is found and recognized when drawing parallel lines a given distance from a given line.

`an inch.,

absorbs and canr This ruler has a round'hole three-eighths'of y an inchin diameter, l(indicated by the numeral 19, F'g. 1.) In location the center of this hole is t e same (point as the center of the ing the ruler up on the desk or otherwise, as ma be convenient when not in actual use.

he markers are made of any substance that contains suicient spring to hold -the markers on the ruler. Y Another feature of thisy ruler is the straight Aslantng lines (indicated by numerals 26,27, 28, 29, 3o, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36,` Iand 37) drawnfrom the intersection of the respective inch-lines with the line 2 to a point connecting With tional divisionof that respective inch, (shown onthe under face of the ruler etween lines 15 and 21.) The use of these straight slanting lines is to more clearly indicate the fractional divisions of the respective inches between said lines 15 and 21.

This ruler has two bevels, one on each edge of the ruler, as shown by 47 and 48 in Fig. 2. Bevel 48 is from lines 1 to 25. Bevel 47 is from lines 15 to 21, as per Figs. 1 and 2.

reference to a transparent ruler. By means of said bevels it is possible to -avoid most of the objectionable effects of reflection and refraction of the lines and-scales which are laced on the under side of the r`uler. This r`1s a useful feature as having reference to any kind of a transparent'ruler.

' The composition nof this ruler may be ofl any substance having a suflicient degreeof the line used to show the lastfrac- ICC.

havingl,

- inch-lines 1 2,

'elevation of one of the markers.

Vtransparency and otherwise meeting the ref ruler and one of the markers cut on the lineV X X of Fig.' 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional v iew of one of the markers. Fig. 4 is a side Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the ruler, its leftehand end broken'away, showing the flexible transparent projection 15a. As this figure is for the sole purpose of showing said projection, most of the lines and numerals shown on Fig. 1 are omitted. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional-view of Fig. 1 cut on the line Y Y of Fig. 1, showing said projection 15a, which projection, however, is not shown -in Fig. 1.

My invention is described as follows:

In Fig. 1 the numerals 1, 2, 3', 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 indicate, refer to,

. and are the numbers of and for the particular inches in' which they are placed and are placed in the centers of the respective inches to which they allude., A

14, 15, 16, and 17 indicate the four corners of the ruler, said corners being rightangled. The line 25, representing the upper edge of the ruler, is parallel with the line 21,-

representing the lower edge of the ruler.

This ruler is also provided with longitudinal parallel lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,11, 12, 13, 14, and 15, which lines extend the full length of the ruler, except where found necessary to discontinue the same.

This ruler is of flexible transparent material, and all scales and marks thereon are on its under side.

In Fig. 1, 18A,18B, 18C, and 18 represent four round-headed screws or tacks or elevations in position on the ruler. They are on the upper face of the ruler and are preferably placed at intervals of one inch apart, except none are placed on the end lines of the ruler. (See Fig. 2.) Said elevations are about onefourth of an inch from the upper edge of the ruler. .In some .rulers instead of using the tacks I have a transparent flexible extension 15a, rising from the upper face of the ruler its entire length-about one-eighth of an inch tall and about one-fourth of an inch from theupper edge of the ruler. Flach of said &c., cross the rulerin a perfectly straight line at right angles to said lines 25 and 21, representing, respectively, the 11pper and lower edges of the ruler.

The numeral 19 indicates a circular perforation three-eighths of an inch in diameter. The center of said perforation is exactly the same as the center of theainch-spaces indicated by the numerals 1 and 2.

The numeral 20, located at the center of the line 21, is a common point from which the lines of the protractor radiate. These edge yoi"l the ruler and is -shown by 48.

radiating protractor-lines are five degrees apart, and, all told, there is indicated a scale of one hundred and eighty degrees. Theoretically. these protractor-lines radiate from and will come to a vertex at said common point 20, though, as a matter of fact, they actually start from said longitudinal line 15. (See Fig. 1.) The reason the drawing does not show these lines between the lower edge of the ruler represented bythe line 21 and the longitudinal line 15 is because of another scale essential to be shown in thats ace. Said five-degree protractor-lines are sllibwn running from the common point 20 theoretically to their respective termini at vertical 4() and` 43 and the top edge of the ruler, represented by the line 25. For the purpose of explanation and description several of these lines are denominated 29A, 29B, 29C, 38, 38A, 3812-380, es, and 39. x. t

My ruler is also provided with vertical lines 41 and 42, which extend from said longitudinal line 2 to said line 15. Between said longitudinal lines 1 and 15 and between said vertical lines 40 and 41 and 42 and 43 spaces are reserved to show each of the said five de* grecs. Also in aspaceone-eighth of an inch wide, running from the line 41, inclusive, to the line 42, inclusive, between said longitudinal lines 1 and 2, are shown these same onedegree lines of the protractor.

In Figfl between the lines 21 and 15 are shown Jfractional divisions of each respective inch-that is, the inch indicated by the numeral 1 is undivided, the inch indicated by 2 is divided into halves, by 3 into thirds,

and so on up to the twelfth inch, indicated vby the numeral 12, which is divided into twelve parts.

My im roved ruler is also provided with straight sl)anting lines drawn from the intersection of the respective inch-lines with the lon itudinal'line 2 toa oint connectin with theines used to show tlie last fractiona division of that inch. The use of these straight slanti'ng lines is to more clearly indicate the fractional divisions'of the respective inches between the line 21 and the line 15.

`In Fig. 1 the line from the point 39 to the common point 20 indicates one of the inchlines crossing the Width of the ruler'. The numeral 44 indicates the bend or spring of said markers B. The slanting line from21 to 15 indicates the bevel on that edge of the ruler. This bevel is more particularly indicated by the numeral 47. The slanting lire from 1 to 25' indicates the bevel of the other sent the arms of the marker B. The numerals 46 and 49 indicate a slight bevel inward of the ends of the arms of said marker, so as to enable it to be more easily slid on the ruler.

Rising from the` upper face and near the upper edge of the ruleris a flexible transparmore particularly Numerals 45 and 50 repre- 1 ent elevation ,frunnng the entire length of the ruler. (See Figs' and 6.)

All lines and markations are indented on the lower face of the ruler and are partly with the number ofthe l vertical lines, running across the entire of the ruler at right angles with said parallel` lines,.and dividing the ruler into inches; ver-` tical lines, dividing said inches into eighths of inches, the'lower ede of said ruler havin the second incli divide into halves, its thir( inch into thirds, the fourth inch into fourths, and so on, the twelfth inc-h into twelfths, and straight slanting lines, 'extending from the intersection of said vertical inch-lines with the second longitudinalline from the upper edge of the ruler to the last fractional division-lines at the lower edge of the ruler, suhstantially as shown and described and for` the purposes set forth.

2. As an article of manufacture, a ruler consistin of an oblong rectangular trans arent strip eveled at its upper and lower ec ges and provided with longitudinal parallel lines equidistances apart, vertical lines, vrunning across the entire width of the ruler at right angles with said parallel lines, dividing the ruler into inches, lvertical lines vertical each inch into fractional parts correspondin inch; a longitudina 'ing lines,

. equidistances apart,

across the entire width of the ruler at right inches into eighthsof inches,

fractional dividing saidinch-lines into eighths of inches, lines, on thelower edge of the ruler, dividing' transparent extension, -extending from the lupper face of said ruler near its upper edge and running its entire extending from the intersection of said vertical inch-lines with the second longitudinal line from the -upper edge of the ruler to the last fractional vdivision-lines at the lower edge of the ruler, all lines and markartions being indented in the under face of the ruler; opaque material, partly filling all lines and markations, and a,transparent film, filling up all of said lines and markations, substantially as shown a'nd described and for the purposes set forth.

8. In a ruler, consisting of an oblong reclength, straight slantl tangular transparent strip, beveled at its u per and lower edges, having indented in its ower face. and at its center a protractor and provided with longitudinal vertical ines running anffles -to said parallel lines, dividing ,the ruier into inches; vertical lines, -dividing .said the lower edge of said ruler having the second inch divided into halves, its third into thirds, its fourth inch into fourths and so on,

tending from the intersection of said vertical inch-lines with the second longitudinal line from the u per edve of the 'vision-dines of the lower edge of the ruler, substantially as shown and described. and for the pur oses set forth.

In testimony whereolf) I aHix my signature in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MiLToN DEE BRYsoN. Witnesses:

1 EDGAR. GALBRETH,

I. B. HAMILTON.;

arallel lines A the twelfth inch' linto twelfths, and straight slanting lines, .ex- Y ruler to the last 

